Ciel Sutcliff
by XyaXavier
Summary: Grell is dispatched to reap the soul of a child, but what happens when he feels he can't complete the job? Requested fic for angorianwolf...Slight OOCness, rating may go up. Review please!
1. Found

_**Okay, so here's my first attempt at a multi-chapter story. Written for angorianwolf, who thought up this idea for a fic. Enjoy!:)**_

**Chapter 1**

Ciel ran as fast as he could through the empty streets of London, bare feet hardly making a sound against the cold ground. The sun had long since gone down, giving the boy plenty of shadowed hiding spaces to take cover in. His breath came in short, terrified gasps despite doing his best to take deep, calming breaths, lest he have an asthma attack. He glanced back over his shoulder, relieved to find that no one was behind him. At least, not _close_ behind him. He quickly rounded the nearest corner, slipping a bit from the snow-slicked street, and came to a stumbling halt in front of a large, wooden crate. He pried the lid open with what little strength he had left and swiftly climbed inside, placing the top back on as soon as he was in.

Inside, Ciel hugged his knees to his chest and shut his eyes tightly, focusing entirely on keeping his breathing deep and even. The tightening in his chest only seemed to worsen, though, and he couldn't inhale properly, wheezing terribly with every rapid breath he took. _'Oh no, not now! Not like this!'_He clenched his fists as he struggled to breathe, beginning to feel light-headed and the pressure on his chest seemed to double. He gasped for oxygen, seeing stars dance behind his closed eyelids as felt himself slipping away. Before he could even form another coherent thought, he was dragged into unconsciousness and left fighting for his life inside of that old, dusty crate.

xXx

Grell hummed quietly to himself as he looked over the soul-collection list William had given to him earlier. His humming turned into a frustrated groan, however, and his shoulders slumped as he realized he must carry out a rather unpleasant task.

Reaping the soul of a child.

Grell always hated taking the lives of children away, seeing as how he couldn't even have one of his own, which he so desperately wanted. He didn't think it was fair, not for himself and definitely not the children. He glanced down again to read the cause of death. An asthma attack. Grell had to to blink back tears at this. It's one thing to die at such a young age, but to die because of something such as that? It just wasn't fair.

He gave a despaired sigh, tucking the list back safely into his coat and summoned up his massive death scythe, mentally preparing himself for the emotional turmoil ahead of him. He briefly considered asking William to exchange his list with another employee's, but decided against it. He had to get used to this and Will would probably refuse anyway.

He took a deep, calming breath and closed his eyes, focusing on sending himself into the mortal world, ready or not. He tried not to think too much about what he was about to do, lest he get any ideas. As soon as the strange, albeit familiar vibrations faded away from his body and his surroundings suddenly felt different, Grell opened his eyes to find that he had successfully transported himself into the sleeping town of London. He inhaled the fresh scent of cool, night air and began his journey in search of the poor child that would meet their unfortunate end tonight.

He pulled out his list once more to check the location of the kid, mildly surprised to find that the little one wasn't at home, or even in a building for that matter. An orphan perhaps? Grell began walking in the direction the child would be, keeping a very slow pace. He really didn't want to do this...

About fifteen minutes later, Grell found himself in the correct location of the kid, but with no sign of the little human. Furrowing his brow, he looked all around himself in better hopes of spotting the child. _Oh, great_, he thought bitterly as he failed to see the youth. The only things around him were a few old boxes and storage items. After a moment of thought, it finally dawned on him. _In a crate?_

He approached one of the old, wooden boxes, tapping his fingers on the lid nervously and biting his lip. _It's okay, Grell. You can do this. _He swallowed nervously, face and palms beginning to sweat. He held his breath and looked away as he gently pried the lid off of the crate, pushing it aside and letting it tumble carelessly to the snow sprinkled ground. He didn't want to look. He wanted to turn back and run, not steal the precious life away from a guiltless little child.

He knew he had to, though. This was what his job as a reaper was all about; reaping souls! _Just do it, Grell! _

Finally, after a long moment of hesitation, Grell, with bated breath, slowly turned his head back and looked down into the open crate. His eyes widened in shock as tears instantly gathered in them at the sight before him.

A young boy, no more than ten years old, lay completely still inside the wooden box with his arms still clinging loosely to his legs and his head rolled to the side. His eyes were closed and his lips and fingers were a light shade of blue, either from lack of oxygen or the cold, Grell couldn't tell. The only clothing he had on was a baggy pair of sack cloth pants with holes and tears in the fabric. What really caught the reaper's attention, however, was the child's face. He was absolutely beautiful, one of the most stunning children Grell had ever seen. Pale, smooth skin, soft and even features, and those eyes! Even without seeing them open, Grell could see they were big and with long, charcoal lashes. The boy's hair was an odd, grayish-blue color, but pretty nonetheless, with shaggy bangs hanging in his eyes.

The moment Grell saw him, he knew he couldn't let him die. Tears were falling freely from his eyes now at the thought of what he was supposed to be doing, his reason for seeking out the child in the first place. No, he absolutely couldn't, no way.

Grell blinked a few times and shook his head slightly in an attempt to get his thoughts straight. The boy was alive, but from what Grell could see, death wasn't far off. He need to get him someplace safe and warm. And _fast. _

Grell bent forward and placed both arms under the unconscious youth, carefully lifting him out of the box and holding him close against his chest. He smiled sadly down at the boy, hugging him tighter and thinking of any place that he could possibly take him for the time being. He couldn't bring him back to the Library just yet; William would no doubt find out. He looked up then...and found his answer. A shop across the street had the lights on still, despite the late hour. The sign loomed eerily over the door, rattling gently with each passing breeze.

_Undertaker._

Grell had never met the man personally, but had heard talk of a retired Shinigami leaving the Library in favor of working as a mortician in London. He decided to try his luck and approached the shop's entrance, the boy carefully cradled in his arms. Not bothering to knock-which he couldn't have, anyway-, Grell leaned one shoulder against the door, leaning heavily against it and pushing it open by force. The door noisily swung open, creaking as it's hinges protested against the harsh treatment. Grell stumbled inside, quickly scanning the room for the shop's owner and tightening his hold on the fragile little body protectively.

"Heh, heh, come in~..."

xXx

tbc.

_**A/N Okay, this chapter was a bit short, but I promise they won't all be like that.**__**  
Thank you for reading and please tell me what you think:) I will do my best to try and update frequently, so stay tuned!**_


	2. Awake

_**Here you are everyone! As a reward for all your wonderful reviews, I bring you a second, longer chapter. Enjoy!:)**_

**Chapter 2**

Grell flicked his gaze to a shadowed corner of the room, bringing his foot back behind him to gently kick the shop's door closed again. A rather tall man, clothed in dark gray robes with sleeves far too long, appeared from one corner of the room. Having risen from his kneeling position on the dusty floor beside a vacant, polished casket, he stepped forward. With a stifled giggle and a smile far too wide for Grell's liking, he approached his new arrivals, boots clinking softly with each little step he took.

"Is there something you need?" he politely inquired. He looked at the boy cradled in Grell's arms and his grin grew just a tiny bit wider. A new customer, perhaps?

Grell did his best to keep his emotions from showing on his face, even though the way the man was smiling at them was seriously creeping him out. He tightened his hold on the boy once more and looked down at him sadly as he spoke. "He needs help," he said softly. "He's dying."

Undertaker took a couple steps forward and lightly touched the boy's face, running his fingertips softly down his cheek. "I see," he said, a note of amusement in his voice. "And what would be the cause?"

Grell fought the urge to shirk away from the close proximity he and the Undertaker stood at, eyeing the man warily. "He's had an asthma attack. Can you help him?"

Undertaker withdrew his hand and tapped one long fingernail against his bottom lip in a thoughtful gesture. "Hm...perhaps," he mused. "I'm no doctor, but I'll try my best." He looked at Grell again with an unseen, suggestive gleam in his eye. "...For a price, of course."

Grell impatiently shifted on his feet, glancing down at the boy again. "Yes, yes, whatever you want," he hurriedly agreed. "But, please, we're running out of time, here."

Undertaker straightened and snickered behind his hand. He'd do just about anything for the right price. "Splendid," he chortled. "Now, hand me the child and I shall get started right away." he held out his arms expectantly.

Grell gave a small, grateful nod and carefully placed the youth in the Undertaker's outstretched arms, running his finger's through the boy's hair as he pulled away. Undertaker held the child securely against his chest, catching a glimpse of something resembling a symbol on the boy's left ribs. He shrugged it off for now, as he'd get a better look at it when he laid the child down. He gestured for Grell to follow him as he turned and headed towards the back of the shop, stopping in front of it and looking back over his shoulder at Grell.

"Would you mind terribly getting the door for me?" Undertaker chuckled. "My hands are a bit busy at the moment."

Grell rolled his eyes and stepped forward to open the door for Undertaker, following after him as the man stepped through. Inside, Grell was pleasantly surprised to find that this room, unlike the other, was pretty much spotless. The floor was completely free of dust and dirt, as well as everything else in the room. This be including a twin bed pressed against the right wall and an oak office desk placed near the center of the wall opposite the one they had entered through. The walls held a number of shelves with burning candles and various items and knickknacks that Grell noted were free of dust as well.

He turned his attention back to Undertaker, as a certain little someone was a bit more important right now. Undertaker was lying the child out on the bed, being as gentle as possible and gingerly pressing two long fingers against his neck, feeling for a pulse. Grell stepped forward to stand directly beside Undertaker so he could get a better view of what was happening. Undertaker removed his fingers and nodded to himself, apparently pleased with whatever he had felt.

"He's alive, just not breathing," he stated. Grell crossed his arms and nodded, as he was already aware of this fact.

"What can you do for him?" Grell questioned. He wondered what he was going to do with the kid, as he probably couldn't keep him at the Library, lest William find out and order Grell to reap his soul as he was originally instructed. He definitely wouldn't be able to kill the child now.

"His airways are closed. All I have to do is open them," Undertaker said simply, kneeling down beside the bed and placing one hand on the boy's forehead and the other under his chin. Grell sat down at the foot of the bed and rested his gloved hand on the child's ankle and stroking over the prominent bone there with his thumb.

"So~," Undertaker said, tilting the boy's head back. "Who is this child?"

Grell opened his mouth to answer, but closed it again as he realized he had never checked the child's name. How could he have forgotten? He rarely skips names, as they hold a fair amount of importance, but seeing the child's age first completely distracted him. He reached into his coat and pulled out his death-list once more, looking for his name. "Ciel Phantomhive," he announced, smiling softly.

Undertaker stiffened slightly. "Phantomhive?" he asked, sounding baffled. "Are you sure?"

Grell looked at him, a bit confused himself. "Yes...why?" Grell replaced the list and folded his arms, looking at the Undertaker expectantly.

Undertaker continued to hold Ciel's head back, patiently waiting for the youth to begin breathing again. "He's been missing for quite some time now," he told him. "Where did you find him?" Undertaker was a bit shocked, actually. Ciel's parents' bodies were brought to him little over a month ago, having been killed in the fire that destroyed the Phantomhive manor. Ciel's father, Vincent, had often come to him for information on Queen Victoria's behalf.

"He was on my sou-" Grell cut himself off as he realized he probably shouldn't be telling a stranger this. Before he could come up with an excuse, however, Ciel suddenly gasped and began coughing. Undertaker moved immediately, propping Ciel upright and patting him firmly on his back as the boy continued to cough and sputter.

Grell moved also, climbing across the mattress to sit right beside Ciel, rubbing his back comfortingly . He was incredibly relieved that Ciel pulled through and was actually awake now, but also a bit apprehensive of what his reaction might be to waking up in an unfamiliar place. He certainly didn't want to pile any more stress on the boy in addition to what he already might've been through.

Tears were trailing down Ciel's cheeks as he struggled to breathe again, his violent coughing fading out into quick, breathless gasps. His eyes were wide open now, unfocused and glazed and his body trembled horribly. Undertaker removed his hand from the child's back and placed it gently on his arm, causing the boy to jump slightly and look up at him. He kept his smile small and kind, so as not to frighten the poor boy any further. "Shh, it's alright. You're safe now." His voice was calm and steady, so unlike his usual self.

Grell continued to rub Ciel's back, wanting to calm the the terrified youth. Ciel was gazing up at Undertaker with wide, frightened eyes, silent tears slipping down his face. Grell slowly reached a hand up and brushed away the new tears, hoping his movements seemed as non-threatening as possible. Ciel flinched away at first from the unexpected contact and turned his head to look at Grell. Like Undertaker, he kept his smile gentle and closed-mouthed.

"Don't worry, we won't hurt you. I promise." He stroked the boy's cheek with his thumb. "We're here to help." He shot Undertaker a look, who nodded back at him.

Ciel's expression did not change and he continued to shake. He glanced between Grell and Undertaker nervously, then caught sight of the open door and stared hard at it. Undertaker, sensing what the boy was thinking, chuckled lightly. "I don't think you'd wanna try that, boy. These streets aren't very safe at night."

Ciel seemed to agree, as he hesitantly brought his gaze back to Undertaker. "W-where...a-am I?" he managed.

Undertaker sat down beside Ciel, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap. "This is my home," he said with a sweeping motion of his arms, gesturing to everything around them and then looking back at Ciel. "I'm the Undertaker."

Ciel relaxed visibly at this, remembering his father had mentioned Undertaker on a few occasions. His father spoke highly of the man, saying beneath his loony exterior, he was actually a rather wise, informative noble. "You knew my father? Vincent Phantomhive?" he asked hopefully.

Undertaker smiled softly. "Yes."

Ciel averted his gaze and nodded, memories of his mother and father suddenly flooding his mind as tears welled in his eyes. He pushed those thoughts away and forced back the tears stubbornly; he'd cried enough, lately. He turned his attention to the redhead. "Who are you?"

Grell brightened and flicked his hair over one shoulder, placing his hand to his chest as he introduced himself. "My name is Grell Sutcliff, quite possibly the loveliest lady you'll ever meet," he giggled. "I'm also the one who found you."

Ciel nodded and sought out the other's hand, giving it a slight shake. "I'm Ciel. Pleasure to meet you," he said politely, more out of formal habit than his own volition.

Grell giggled again at the adorable gesture and returned it, shaking the youth's hand daintily. "The pleasure's all mine."

Ciel gave a single nod and then yawned, suddenly feeling _very_ sleepy as the stress of the day's events finally caught up with him and became too much. Grell looked at Undertaker who nodded back at him, signaling that he, too had noticed this.

"Would you like to sleep?" Undertaker asked the child, cocking his head to the side. He'd be willing to allow Ciel to stay the night in his shop, so long as it was only for tonight. The kid probably had family looking for him and Undertaker didn't want any trouble.

Ciel nodded sleepily, eyelids feeling heavy. Undertaker looked over at Grell, nodding at him to put the boy to sleep. Grell complied and gently pushed back on the boy's shoulders, encouraging him to lay down. Ciel offered up no resistance and fell back against the pillows heavily, eyes finally sliding closed. Grell chuckled quietly and drew the blankets up around the youth, stroking the hair out of Ciel's eyes as he did so.

"Sleep well," Grell whispered, sliding off the edge of the bed and following Undertaker out of the room just as Ciel drifted off into sleep.

"So~, what're you going to do with him now, my dear?" Undertaker asked once they were both back out in the main room, voice recovering it's usual, creepy feel. Grell remained silent for a long, thoughtful moment before answering.

"Give him back to his family, I suppose." Grell honestly didn't want to do that. He wanted to keep this child, raise him himself, but that probably wouldn't be possible...

"I agree, they're most likely looking for him," Undertaker said. He could see the sad look on the redhead's face, though, and knew that he wasn't happy with this decision.

Grell nodded solemnly, pulling out his pocketwatch and checking the time. He gasped as he realized just how long he had been there for. It was a good thing Ciel was the only soul on his list, otherwise he would be getting a serious ass-kicking from Will that night. "I'm terribly sorry, but I must be going now. I'm extremely late," he said quickly, replacing his pocketwatch and flashing the Undertaker an apologetic grin. "I'll come back tomorrow, is that okay?"

Undertaker laughed softly and nodded. "Yes, that's fine. I'll be sure to take care of him."

Grell sighed in relief and smiled at him. "Thank you, I really do appreciate this," he said as he headed for the door.

"Think nothing of it," Undertaker replied. "Oh, and Grell?" he called before the redhead could make it out the door. Grell stopped and looked back at him. Undertaker's Cheshire grin appeared once more and he waved his long fingers at Grell slowly.

"Tell William, I said 'hi.'"

xXx

tbc.


	3. Secrets

_**Sooo sorry for the late update guys! D: Forgive me?**_

**Chapter 3**

Grell stared wide-eyed at Undertaker, disbelief showing on his face. _He knew... _Grell shook his head slightly and offered a tiny, arrogant smirk. He folded his arms and leaned his back against the wooden entrance door. "Hmph. So what gave it away?"

Undertaker seated himself on top one of the many coffins scattered throughout the room, crossing his legs again. "Oh, your eyes mostly; the two-toned green is a characteristic shared amongst all Shinigami, as well as the glasses," he explained. "Your teeth aren't exactly a normal human's, either."

Grell's eyes narrowed in warning to that last statement. "Was that an insult?" he challenged. God help the man if it was.

Undertaker laughed and shook his head, holding up his hands defensively. "Of course not," he chuckled. "What kind of gentleman insults a beautiful lady without good reason? I like your teeth." He smiled at Grell, delighted in the pretty blush that bloomed across the other's cheeks. Grell looked away and unfolded his arms, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"...Thank you," he said softly, bringing his gaze back to Undertaker. "Can we...keep Ciel our little secret for now?"

"Planned on it."

Grell relaxed and smiled, revealing his many sharp teeth to Undertaker fully now that the man had admitted he actually _liked_ them. "Good! I'll be back tomorrow," he said, nodding to Undertaker gratefully and turning the handle on the door, opening it.

"I'll be waiting~" Undertaker replied as Grell departed, waving his long fingers in farewell to the redhead. He wondered what he was going to do to when the kid woke up. Ciel would probably ask a lot of questions, ones that Undertaker couldn't or wouldn't want to answer.

Oh, yes. This should be fun...

xXx

Grell shivered lightly as he stepped out onto the street again, wind whipping his long, crimson hair around him. He looked down both sides of the street to make sure no one was out, then closed his eyes and focused solely on arriving back at the Library. He furrowed his brow in concentration, doing his best to keep a clear head. He would have to play it cool, act like everything was fine, otherwise he'd be in _big_ trouble. He'd broken the rules tonight and if found out, this could cost him his position as officer, most likely demoting him a rank or two. And Ciel...he didn't even want to think about what would happen to him. William wasn't exactly kind-hearted and would never pass up the opportunity to take another life. Grell was the same, but had an unusual soft spot for children.

Grell opened his eyes again as he felt the little vibrations fade away from his limbs to find that he was back at the Library, right outside the front office. He sighed and looked up, spotting his room's window a few floors up. He leapt then, aiming for a third floor balcony and landing as gracefully as his high-heeled boots would allow, then jumping higher up. He landed on his window's narrow ledge as expected, quickly undoing the fastenings holding the window shut and crawling through once it was open. He turned back to shut the window again and wandered over to his desk, searching for a match to light some candles with.

Once he had enough light, Grell took out his death-list once again and laid it out on his desk. Next to Ciel's name, Grell pressed the _'Completed'_ stamp onto the boy's file, feeling a bit uneasy. He snatched up the file and headed out his door to find William.

"Sutcliff!"

Grell had barely made it out the door when William's harsh tone met his ears. He flinched and reluctantly turned to face his furious boss, gulping audibly. William was scowling, obviously displeased with his employee about something. Grell wrung his hands nervously, wondering why William was so angry. He couldn't have found out already, could he? "U-um...h-hey, Will," Grell stuttered, doing his best to seem as inconspicuous as possible. "N-need something?"

He was failing horribly.

"Where have you been?" William hissed. "One soul does not take forty-five minutes to reap. What have you been doing?"

Grell mentally smacked himself for not thinking of an excuse beforehand. "N-nothing!" he insisted. "It just took me a while to find the kid, that's all." His face held the most innocent expression he could manage, praying William would buy it.

"Really," William deadpanned, a fair amount of doubt in his voice. Receiving a hurried nod from Grell, he sighed and held out his hand. "Hand me the file." Grell did as he was told, passing Ciel's file to his boss. "Write your report and get it to me by tomorrow. Do that, and then begin filling out the permission form for the legal use of your death scythe."

"Okay." An intense wave of relief flooded Grell's being as William seemed to drop the subject of his being late. Now all he had to worry about was keeping his secret, well..._secret_.

"Good. I should have a new collection list for you in the morning. Be in my office by nine o'clock with your report." Grell nodded and William adjusted his glasses with his death scythe, turned on his heels and headed back towards his own office. "Don't be late," he called back over his shoulder. Grell breathed a huge sigh of relief when William was gone, happy to have averted certain disaster. He was glad William would have another list for him as it would give him the chance to get back and see Ciel.

Grell checked his watch again, seeing that it was well past midnight, later than he usually stayed up. He headed back inside his room to write his report, idly wondering what Undertaker wanted in return for saving Ciel's life. He had said 'for a price', but hadn't elaborated on it.

Once he had finished his report, Grell tucked it safely inside one of the desk drawers, ready to be handed in. Checking the time, he was a bit surprised to find that it was about one-thirty in the morning. He stood up and stretched, yawning a bit as he did so, then stripped himself for bed. He didn't bother slipping on any nightclothes, only dived onto his bed and wrapped the plush, vermillion comforter around his bare body, giggling in delight as he did so. He closed his eyes, feeling oddly..._happy_. Soon, he was asleep.

The next morning, Grell woke to the sound of knocking at his door. He groaned and buried his face in his pillow, grumbling crankily.

"Grell, wake up!" a familiar voice called. Grell groaned louder this time, earning a light chuckle from the other. The door opened and in walked Ronald Knox, Grell's best friend. "You awake?"

"No," came the mumbled reply. Grell was sprawled out on the mattress, red hair fanned out around him. Ronald rolled his eyes and closed the door, smiling. Grell was lying face-down, giving Ronald an idea. He crept up to Grell's bedside, getting ready to pounce. And pounce, he did.

Grell let out a startled yelp as Ronald suddenly jumped on him, straddling his hips and tickling his sides. Grell giggled uncontrollably while squirming and trying to pry Ronald's mischievous fingers away from his body. "Haha~, Ronnie! St-_ha_-stop it!"

Ronald grinned at the half-hearted order and continued to tickle his friend, waking him up in one of the best ways possible. He loved to hear Grell laugh.

"_Ha_~, pl-please! I'm awake!" Grell laughed, tears trailing down his cheeks from laughing too hard. To his relief, Ronald removed his fingers and rolled onto his side next to Grell, grinning and laughing quietly. Grell glared playfully at his friend, his smile showing he wasn't angry in the slightest. "Grow up, Ronnie!"

Ronald stuck his tongue out at him childishly. "Make me."

Grell growled softly swatted at Ronald's face. "Oh, shut up. You're so annoying," he teased. Grell propped himself up on his elbows, still lying on his belly. "What time is it?"

Ronald checked his watch. "A little after eight," he said. "William told me to make sure-...Grell, are you naked?"

Grell smiled. "Yes. Yes, I am."

Ronald laughed and shook his head fondly. "Why?"

"Why not?" Grell countered. "I like it."

Ronald laughed again. "Anyway," he said, trying to get back on topic. "William wants us both in his office this morning, that's why I woke you up."

Grell looked slightly confused at that. "Why does he want to see both of us?" He had a pretty good idea, but still dreaded hearing Ronald's answer.

"It's Wednesday, Grell. He sends us out in pairs, remember? I'm your partner so we'll be getting the soul-collection list together," he said.

Oh, no. This was not good. Grell had to go see Undertaker and Ciel that day, he couldn't bring Ronald with him! He bit his lip lightly and looked away, debating on whether or not he should tell his friend about the life he had saved.

"Hey, you okay?" Ronald asked, a bit concerned.

"Huh? Oh, yeah...I'm fine, Ronnie," he lied, giving his friend a forced smile. Ronald, however, didn't buy it.

"No, something's bothering you. C'mon, now, what is it?" At Grell's hesitance to answer, he threatened him with, "Don't make me tickle you again."

Grell sighed and sat up, deciding to tell Ronald. He trusted his friend and knew Ronald wouldn't purposefully tell any of their secrets to anyone, but it still seemed like a bad idea to tell someone. "Okay, I'll tell you." Ronald sat up as well and nodded for Grell to start. "You can't tell anyone about this, though. Got it?" Grell said, giving Ronald a look that meant he was very serious.

"I won't, I swear," Ronald promised. "What is it, Grell?"

"Pinky swear," Grell demanded, holding up his own pinky finger. Ronald complied, hooking his finger with Grell's and shaking it.

"There. Now what is it?" Ronald urged.

"Yesterday night, Will gave me an assignment. I was sent to reap a child's soul," he started, lowering his voice to almost a whisper. Ronald nodded understandingly, as he knew Grell had a weakness for children. Grell had come to him many times after an assignment, teary-eyed and absolutely horrified with what he had done. He couldn't believe William still gave Grell death-lists with children listed on them, as it always tore the reaper up inside. "When I saw the boy, I just...couldn't do it, Ronnie," Grell said, avoiding eye contact with his friend. "He was so beautiful and helpless, I just couldn't kill him."

"So what did you do?" Ronald had a feeling he knew where this was going. He was very aware of the fact that Grell wanted a child of his own and wouldn't be too surprised if Grell had actually decided to keep one of the doomed children. They both knew this was, of course, against the rules, but Grell wasn't exactly one for obedience.

"You've heard of that retired Shinigami who now works as an undertaker?" Ronald nodded and Grell continued. "Well, that's where the boy is right now. In his shop."

"How did he end up there?" Ronald asked, confused.

"It was the first place I saw after I found Ciel. I took him inside and the man agreed to save him and keep him there until I came back today," Grell explained.

"What do you plan on doing with this kid, then? Does he have a family?" Ronald asked.

Grell sighed and his shoulders slumped. "I don't know, but I have to go back there. I'll talk to him and get more information, maybe that'll give me some ideas."

Ronald also sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "You're impossible, Grell." He smiled softly at his friend. "Hey," he turned Grell's head so that he was looking in his eyes. "We'll figure this out together, okay? I won't let you deal with this all by yourself."

Grell giggled and took Ronald's hands in his own. "Oh~, Ronnie, you're so~ sweet! Thank you, I really do appreciate this."

Ronald waved his hand dismissively. "No need to thank me. This is what friends are for, right?"

"Right!" Grell agreed, smiling brightly.

"Okay, now get some clothes on and we'll go see William," Ronald said, slipping off the side of Grell's bed and heading out the door to wait for his friend in the hall. Grell giggled again and began the search of his clothing, feeling better now that he had told Ronald everything.

At least he wasn't in this alone.

xXx

tbc.

_**A/N Please review and tell me if there's anything wrong or if something doesn't make sense. Also, if you feel there isn't enough Grell&Ciel interaction and you'd like more, please tell me! There will be plenty of scenes with those two, though, so don't worry. **_

_**See you in the next chapter!**_


	4. Problems

_**A month without updating. Holy crap. I am the Worst. Author. EVAR! DX Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys are AWESOME! :3 Keep 'em comin'!**_

**Chapter 4**

_"Tanaka! Help!" My parents...dead?_

_"Ciel, sir...Please escape...it's too risky for you..." What's going on? _

_"Tanaka!" Who is that standing there, and why did he hurt Tanaka? Hey, who's touching me? "No! Let me go!" Who are they? Why do they want me to come with them? "Stop! Please!"_

_What's happening?_

_"No!"_

Ciel gasped and quickly sat up, cerulean eyes wide and frightened as he struggled to separate dream from reality. He was panting and a sheen of sweat glistened on his skin, chest heaving with every breath he frantically glanced around himself, immensely relieved to find that he was alone, as well as safe.

Remnants of the nightmare lingered in his mind, conjuring up unwanted memories and pain along with them. Ciel groaned and clutched his head as a familiar-albeit unwelcome-sensation came about. Headaches have always been the unfortunate aftermath of his nightmares, no matter how insignificant the dream may be. His mother had always been there for him, with comforting words and a loving embrace to make the pain go away. Now, it seemed that nothing could. He had nobody. He was alone.

His mother, his father, his home, his _happiness_...all gone. The only thing he had gained was the branded symbol that only served to remind him of the anguish those bastards who enslaved him had caused. He shuddered to think what would have happened had he not escaped when he did. Death, most likely.

...Well, maybe that wouldn't have been _so_ bad.

In the midst of his dark musing, Ciel failed to notice the slight opening of the door and the curious mortician peeking in from behind it. Undertaker cocked his head to one side as he studied Ciel, a small frown on his face. The boy had both hands grasping either side of his head, a grimace of pain settled across his pale face. He was trembling again, body drenched in a cold sweat, obviously feeling unwell. Undertaker decided it was time to intervene. He swiftly stepped inside, closed the door behind him and approached the bedside.

Ciel looked up, still holding his head, as he heard the soft _click _of the door shutting and then Undertaker's heavy footsteps. He lowered his head again and rested his elbows on his knees, trying his damnedest to keep the pain-filled tears from escaping his eyes. The pressure in his head seemed to be letting up a little, but was still too intense to ignore. Nightmares came rarely to him, but when they did, he was always in a world of hurt when he woke up.

Undertaker lowered himself onto his knees beside the bed and rested his arms on the mattress, looking at Ciel quizzically. "What hurts?"

Ciel hesitated before answering, wondering what the man could possibly care about that for. "My head," he gritted out, keeping his eyes shut tight against the pain.

"Well, it's no wonder," Undertaker laughed, reaching up to grasp Ciel's wrists with slender fingers. "With all that grabbing you're doing there." He pulled Ciel's hands away from his skull and held them down against the sheets, gently, but firmly. "Now, _why_ does it hurt?"

Ciel didn't resist when Undertaker held his wrists down, despite the uneasiness he felt arise from it. "A nightmare," he answered simply, blinking a few times as the pain began to slowly ebb away. Undertaker nodded and released the child's arms, placing his own back on the edge of the mattress. His gaze found it's way to Ciel's ribs again, staring curiously at the mark there. He reached forward with one hand until his fingertips met with the marred skin. Ciel gasped and quickly pushed Undertaker's hand away, hugging his knees to his chest and glaring at the man. "Don't touch that!" he snapped.

"If you don't mind my asking, just what exactly is that?" Undertaker asked, pointing at Ciel's torso to show what he was referring to.

Ciel hugged his knees tighter and looked away. "Just a burn," he mumbled quietly. It hurt when Undertaker touched it and brought tears to his eyes, which Ciel stubbornly blinked away.

Undertaker snorted. "That hardly looks like 'just a burn'. How was it acquired?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business," Ciel mumbled, turning his head to the side, away from Undertaker. He didn't care how rude he was being at the moment, he was in no mood to talk about such things. It really wasn't any of the man's business anyway.

Undertaker considered this. "Hm, perhaps not. Is it painful?" The boy could at least tell him that much.

Ciel shifted slightly, feeling uncomfortable as the fabric of his pants brushed against the overly-sensitive skin of his ribcage. "Yeah," he muttered quietly after a few seconds, as if ashamed to admit it.

Undertaker smiled broadly then stood suddenly. "What here," he said, striding over to the door. Ciel looked up just as Undertaker exited, brow furrowing. What was he up to?

About a minute later, Undertaker re-emerged, coming to kneel beside the bed again. He raised one hand, his long sleeve falling back to reveal the object he had left for. "Here," he said, taking one of Ciel's hands in his own and placing the item in his open palm.

Ciel stared at the small container in his hand, unsure of what Undertaker wanted him to do with it. "What is this?" he asked.

"It'll get rid of the pain and heal the damaged skin. You can apply it, as it seems you'd rather have me keep my hands to myself, hm?" Undertaker snickered.

Ciel let go of his knees and stretched his legs out a bit, relieving his ribs of the slight pain his pants caused. He held the balm up to get a better look at it; there was no label and the container looked aged, giving Ciel reason to be suspicious of it.

Undertaker laughed when he noticed Ciel's hesitant expression. "It's safe, just a teeny-tiny bit old, I'm afraid." Truth was, he'd snatched the salve from the Shinigami Library's infirmary nearly three decades ago after an unfortunate incident with his stove had left him with some rather nasty burns on his fingers. He'd planned on returning it along with the books he'd borrowed that day, but it must have slipped his mind, considering it was still in his shop after all these years. Undertaker stood again, patting Ciel's head as he did so. "I'll leave you to it."

Ciel turned his attention back to the balm in his hands as Undertaker left the room again and twisted the lid. It took some strength, but he finally got it open, the herbal aroma immediately wafting through the air. Ciel set the lid aside and scooped out a small amount of the substance with his fingers. He sighed and gingerly smeared the salve onto his branded skin, wincing as his fingertips met painfully with the damaged flesh there. The pain didn't last long however, and soon, Ciel was sighing in relief as the balm soothed his burning skin. He must remember to thank Undertaker for it.

xXx

The sun decided not to shine that morning, choosing instead to shield itself behind a thick layer of ashen clouds. Grell shivered softly and pressed his body closer to Ronald's as they walked together, resting his head on the other's shoulder. Ronald smiled and wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulders, earning a happy little noise from the redhead. The two had just finished off the last of the souls on their list and were now heading to Undertaker's place. They had worked quickly that morning in order to have more time there without arriving back at the Library late and getting William suspicious.

"That's it, right?" Ronald said, pointing to the building up ahead.

Grell lifted his head a bit and peered through the haze of falling snow. "Mhm, that's it," he affirmed, laying his head back down. Grell couldn't understand why, but he actually felt a little nervous to be seeing Ciel again. Having Ronald by his side made him feel better, though. He wrapped his arms around the blonde's slim waist and smiled softly to himself, feeling lucky to have such an amazing friend.

As they neared the place, Grell reluctantly pried himself away from Ronald's body and stepped up to the building's entrance. He raised his hand and knocked twice before turning the doorknob and entering the shop, Ronald right behind him. Inside, Grell glanced around for a sign of the Undertaker, but found his presence to be absent from the room.

"Creepy," Ronald commented, coming to stand beside Grell in the middle of the room. "Is he here?"

"Should be," Grell shrugged. "Maybe he's-" Before Grell could finish, a loud click sounded from behind them, causing both young reapers to whirl around reflexively.

"Heh, heh, hi~..." With a wave of his fingers and his usual face-splitting smile, Undertaker greeted his quests. He released the door's handle and stepped forward towards the new arrivals, delighting in the way the two seemed to recoil back. "What a pleasant surprise!" he announced excitedly.

Grell pouted at the unnecessary way Undertaker suddenly presented himself to them. Any other normal person would have greeted them as they entered, usually with polite words and a friendly smile. This guy, on the other hand, decides to pop up out of nowhere and scare the living daylights out of his visitors, simply for his own amusement. "Surprise? I told you I was coming back today," Grell reminded, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn't find the Undertaker's antics to be amusing at all, only unnerving and highly annoying.

"And with a friend!" Undertaker exclaimed, leaning in closer to Ronald and cocking his head quizzically. He was still smiling his signature smile, successfully creeping the shit out of poor Ronald. "How delightful!"

Ronald cast a pleading look to his redheaded friend, who could only shrug and smile sympathetically. He discreetly slipped back a few inches to provide some much needed distance between the Undertaker and himself. "Uh, yeah...hi, there," he said in a wavering voice while awkwardly scratching the back of his head. He attempted a smile, only half-succeeding and ending up looking uncertain and nervous. "H-how are ya?"

Undertaker straightened and giggled behind his sleeve, finding the blonde's discomfort to be highly amusing. "Just splendiferous, thanks for asking." He turned his attention to Grell, "And the reason behind this visit...?"

Grell rolled his eyes, knowing that Undertaker knew damn well what their reason for being there was. "For Ciel, of course! Why else would I be here?"

Undertaker giggled. "Well, perhaps you found me irresistible and simply craved more, yes?" He winked suggestively behind his bangs.

"Oh, please," Grell scoffed. "As if I'd ever willingly waste my time on _you_." His gloved hand raised to brush away the few strands of crimson hanging in his eyes, the simple action appearing purposefully arrogant.

"You are right now, aren't you?" Undertaker countered, smirking impishly. He couldn't resist teasing the haughty redhead a bit; it was entertaining and it did the cocky little thing some good.

"I'm only here for Ciel, nothing else," Grell stated, irritated. "How is he?" He didn't know what to expect, honestly. When Grell last saw him, Ciel's behavior didn't seem at all out of the ordinary for a child, save for the apparent confusion and fear when he woke up, but that was to be expected given the circumstances.

"Why don't you go see for yourself?" Undertaker suggested, nodding towards the door in the back. "He's awake now."

xXx

Ciel fiddled thoughtlessly with a corner of the thick blanket draped across his legs, eyes unfocused as he gazed down. He didn't want to think about all that's happened recently, only wanted to rid himself of the increasingly evident pain and grief he felt blooming in his damaged heart. He missed his family horribly and it absolutely devastated him to know that he would never again see them. A single, wounded tear slipped silently down his cheek, the only outward indication of his internal suffering.

Ciel grimaced and frustratingly wiped the tear away from his cheek. _Stop acting like such a child! _his mind reprimanded. _Crying solves nothing. What's done is done, and nothing will ever change that! _His small hands clenched into fists as anger suddenly swelled in his chest, causing his troubled heart to give a particularly painful throb. _Why? Why did all of this have to happen? _

Large, sapphire eyes glistened with the shine of unshed tears as Ciel slowly looked up, having heard a quiet knock at the door. He stared at it for a moment before sighing heavily and forcing his tense muscles to relax slightly before uttering a quiet, "Come in." He looked back down to his lap as the door opened, squeaking rather loudly as it did so. He didn't bother looking back up as he heard the light treading of footsteps entering through, as he didn't want whoever it was seeing that he had been crying.

"Ciel?"

The gentle voice, however, had Ciel raising his head again, seeking its owner. Recognition flashed briefly in those royal blue depths as he looked over the one who had spoken. Exceptionally long, crimson hair, red-framed glasses, intense, green eyes...Grell? Was that his name? There was someone else with him, too. A youthful blonde male stood beside the redhead, a friendly smile curving his lips when he noticed Ciel's eyes on him. His eyes, Ciel noticed, were pretty much identical to the other man's; a bright, peridot color. He had glasses, too, although his were thick-framed and black. Unlike Grell, the blonde was dressed in a black suit, complete with a black tie and gloves. The outfit seemed far too mature for the young man wearing it.

"Are you okay?" Grell tilted his head to the side, concern knitting his brows together as he studied Ciel. He heard the door close behind him, most likely Ronald's doing, and placed his hands on his hips, looking expectantly at Ciel. Grell wore the same gloves as Ronald, but otherwise dressed slightly different from his partner. Instead of the black suit and tie, a black overcoat clung to his body, unbuttoned, leaving a simple vest and, underneath that, a white dress shirt visible. In place of a tie, Grell wore a red-and-white striped ribbon tied into a bow at his collar. Black pants adorned his long legs, ending just above his ankles to reveal the red-and-black boots beneath, black laced.

Ciel lowered his head again, resuming his idle twiddling of the blanket's corner. He didn't know how to respond to the redhead's question, as he wasn't really sure of the answer himself. Physically, he felt okay, but inside...he _hurt_. Anger, grief, hatred...they all burned within; it felt like his heart was slowly being ripped from his chest, _painfully..._

"Hey," Grell murmured softly, moving to sit beside Ciel on the bed. The boy kept his head down, his bangs covering those beautiful eyes, much to Grell's disappointment. "What's wrong?" He gently tilted the youth's chin up so that he could see his eyes, his own widening a bit at what he saw. Instead of the youthful, shimmering gleam he was expecting, he was faced with haunted eyes so dull and void of life, the boy could've passed as dead. "Gods," he whispered, wondering what the hell could have happened to him.

Ciel gazed wordlessly into the blazing, emerald orbs staring so intently into his own, feeling numb. Grell released his hold on his chin, but didn't look away, a concerned, perplexed expression on his face. Ciel was the first to break their gaze, his eyes going back down to the blanket in his lap. He didn't understand why Grell would care enough about him to be concerned, seeing as how they were nearly complete strangers. For now, though, Ciel wouldn't try to push him away. He was alone, and if Grell could change that, Ciel would allow it. He absolutely _hated_ being alone.

Grell hesitantly placed his hand on the boy's bare arm, keeping the touch light and reassuring. Ciel flinched slightly at the unexpected contact, but didn't try to pull his arm away. "Will you tell me what's wrong?" Grell asked gently, stroking his thumb over the pale skin of Ciel's arm.

Ciel sighed quietly and looked down again, shaking his head. "I...can't," he said softly. He couldn't possibly explain all the things that have been troubling him recently.

Grell looked disappointed, but nodded nonetheless. "Are you feeling alright?" He removed his hand from Ciel's arm to slip off his glove and gently comb his fingers through the youth's soft hair, seeking to comfort him.

Ciel unconsciously leaned into Grell's touch, the affectionate gesture reminding him of the times his mother would do the same while humming soft lullabies. Ciel quickly became lost in the memories, unable to focus on anything else but the gentle caress and his mother's singing, still able to hear her beautiful voice. His eyes closed and his breathing deepened, a small smile forming on his lips as he thought of his mother. He could feel his heart begin to ache again, screaming the truth:

His mother was dead.

Not wanting to believe this, Ciel turned his head so that his cheek was resting in the open palm of that caressing hand, his own hand reaching up to cover it. He could still see her, a beautiful vision that was forever stored in his memory, never able to fade completely away. Her smile...he missed that the most. That, and the kind, loving words that left her lips whenever he needed to hear them. His heart throbbed again, telling him to open his eyes and see the truth. Tears burned behind his closed eyelids, slowly pushing past his lashes and trailing down his cheeks. Ciel didn't even notice, only held onto that hand and the precious memories of his mother.

Grell, surprised by Ciels actions, could only blink confusedly as he stared at the boy. One moment, Ciel was smiling and the next, he had tears streaming down his face. Grell could feel the wet drops against his palm and wanted nothing more than to comfort Ciel and make whatever pain he was feeling go away. He hadn't a clue what he should say, so he opted to remain silent as he slid closer to Ciel and gently wrapped his arms around him. He pulled him into his lap when no resistance was shown and held him against his chest.

Ciel allowed himself to be pulled against that other body, wanting nothing more than to be held right then. He tried to refrain from sobbing, but didn't suppress the tears that continued to steadily fall. He kept his eyes shut and turned his face into Grell's chest while reaching up to grab onto the other's shoulders, clinging to Grell just as tightly as he himself was being held; the emotional stress from the past month had finally caught up with him.

Ronald silently watched the scene before him, an unreadable expression on his face. Suddenly, and without any warning, the door he was leaning against swung open, causing him to stumble back with it. Before he could compose himself, his arm was roughly grabbed and he was quickly pulled out of the room, the door clicking shut after him. Disoriented, Ronald could only blink as his body was cruelly shoved back against the nearest wall, his wrists pinned above his head.

"What the _hell_-" His furious hiss was interrupted by a cold hand slamming over his mouth, successfully cutting off any attempt at protest. Ronald glared at the one who had pinned him, pissed at himself for being caught off-guard so easily.

"Shh, don't speak. Just listen." Undertaker smirked and leaned in closer, loving how the blonde's glare faltered and his pulse sped up. He could feel it against his fingers as he squeezed the youth's wrists, desiring more outward indications of fear. Ronald provided him the perfect entertainment, and would hopefully provide some answers as well. "I've got a question for you, Knox."

_I never told him my name_. Could Grell have given it to him? He tried to speak, but any sound produced was muffled by that hand. Undertaker chuckled and slowly removed his hand from Ronald's mouth. "You didn't need to attack me, you know," he murmured lowly once he could speak. "Could've just asked."

"I suppose," Undertaker snickered. "But this was more fun."

Ronald snorted and looked away. "...creep," he muttered under his breath.

Undertaker laughed, taking the insult in stride. "Now, are you ready for my question?"

"Well, uh...could you release me first?" Ronald squirmed a bit, raising his eyebrows at Undertaker. "'Cause this is kinda weird."

Undertaker giggled again and slowly stepped back, letting go of Ronald's wrists as he did so. "As you wish."

"Thank you," Ronald breathed as soon as he was free, happy to be the _only_ occupant of his personal space once again. He absently straightened his tie and glanced at the entrance door, briefly considering bolting for it. He shook his head clear of that thought, though and looked back to Undertaker. "Alright, now what is it?"

"Was Ciel supposed to die yesterday?" Undertaker asked bluntly, smiling. Ronald's shocked expression was nearly answer enough.

"...What gave you that idea?" Ronald said carefully, knowing that Grell wouldn't want Undertaker to know the truth. If William and Undertaker were still in contact with each other, William could easily find out about their little 'secret'.

"No need to play dumb. A simple 'yes' or 'no' will suffice." Undertaker's voice took on a note of seriousness as he added, "And as your former superior, I expect to hear the truth."

_Dammit! Grell might kill me if I rat him out, but I can't lie!_ After a few moments of nervous debate, he finally gave up, giving a defeated sigh and running his fingers through his hair. Grell was going to hate him for this. "Yeah...he was."

Undertaker straightened, his smile fading. "That's what I thought," he said quietly, propping his chin on his knuckles, thinking. "I take it Grell was his reaper?" Ronald's nod confirmed this. Why didn't Grell take his soul, then? Did he plan on keeping the child alive? Even so, it would not be possible. Unless...

"What happened to his file?" Undertaker asked suddenly, his voice taking up the authoritative tone he hadn't heard himself use in years.

Ronald flinched at the sharp edge in Undertaker's voice; the sudden change wasn't something he had been expecting. "I-I don't know, Grell never told me," he answered truthfully, wondering what he wanted to know for. "Why?"

Undertaker sighed and shook his head slightly. "I need to know what Grell did with it. If it was handed in as 'complete' and the child is still alive, that would cause a few...problems to arise." He turned around to head back to the room where the other two were, only to have Ronald stop him by lightly grabbing his shoulder.

"What kind of 'problems'?" Ronald asked. Undertaker turned his head to look at him, and Ronald was sure his heart had stopped when he caught sight of one stunning, brilliant green eye. _Whoa_.

"I'll explain later. Right now, Grell and I need to have a little chat."

xXx

tbc.

_**A/N Anyone else think that Ronnie was gonna get raped? Kinda sounded like he was. XD **_

_**Hopefully, the next chapter won't take as long to get up.  
Thanks for reading, guys, and please review! I'd love to know what you think=)**_


	5. The Truth and Payment

**A/N: **_Again, I apologize for such a late update, guys. Really, it was just a huge struggle trying to find the right ideas and inspiration for this fic. _:/ _Aside from that, I just wanted to remind everyone that the original idea for this story was angorianwolf's, not mine. So give her credit(:_

I feel I could've made this chapter a lot better and longer, but I just couldn't wait to get it up. So, sorry if it seems rushed or is just crappy in general, but I'm impatient. :3 __

Also, keep in mind that Ciel is 10 years old here. He's never met Sebastian and his bitchy attitude is nowhere to be seen. So, he's OOC in this fic, but that's just the way it is. :P__

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Hope you enjoy~ 8D_  
_

**Chapter 5**

The warm embrace was exactly what Ciel had needed. As soon as he felt the redheads arms around him, a peculiar tranquility shrouded over his thoughts in a thick haze, numbing his troubled mind. Instead of the twisted, sickening emotions which had plagued him for the past month, he now felt an underlying sense of contentedness. The horrid memories and accompanying grief were still there of course, but were blissfully masked by these new feelings, if only for the moment. Ciel couldn't understand it, but didn't try to, either. The only things he cared about right then were the gentle caresses of the other's hands and the glorious relief they provided.

Perhaps it was because he no longer felt so alone like this. With the other's body embracing him with such care and protectiveness, Ciel found it hard to believe that he could ever feel lonely again. _Wouldn't that be nice_, he thought bitterly. Had Ciel any faith left in his previous beliefs, he might've described the feeling as heavenly. Sadly though, Ciel suspected the sudden euphoria wouldn't last, no matter how much he willed it to. The inescapable memories and hurt would probably come flooding back to him as soon as Grell pulled away, putting an immediate end to the light alleviation.

Deciding this, Ciel gave an inaudible, distressed sigh and turned his face into the elder's shoulder, his fingers curling tightly around Grell's upper arm in a silent cry for him to stay.

Grell peered down at the boy in his lap with a bit of concerned curiosity. Ciel was acting a bit strange, really. Of course, Grell didn't mind having the youth cling to him(it was adorable, really), but it did raise a couple of questions. Ciel was holding on pretty tight and Grell knew something was wrong. He'd ask later, though. Right now, he'd just hold Ciel tightly and hope it wasn't anything too serious.

Raising one hand, Grell gently placed it to the top of Ciel's head and lightly raked his gloved fingertips through the gray-ish blue strands. He was aware of the fact that Ronald had been pulled out of the room, but wasn't too worried. His enhanced senses would have picked up any signs of danger, such as the sounds of a fight or the telltale scent of fear. If blood had been drawn, Grell would know; spilling it was his favorite pastime, after all. Ronald could take care of himself, anyway.

Grell's attention was immediately back to Ciel when a barely audible whisper met his ears.

"Please..."

_Huh?_ "...Ciel?" Hesitantly spoken, Grell's voice was no louder than Ciel's own whisper.

Ciel kept his face hidden in the reaper's shoulder, so his voice was slightly muffled, but Grell heard it loud and clear. "Please...don't leave."

Grell smiled warmly at him, his heart melting. "I won't," he softly reassured, squeezing Ciel's shoulders gently in a friendly hug. Ciel relaxed in Grell's hold, but didn't look up. He silently prayed to any listening deity that Grell was telling the truth.

After a moment's hesitation, Ciel spoke up again. "Promise?"

Grell giggled at the softly spoken question, unable to help himself. _Oh, how adorable~!_ "I promise," he said, hoping he wouldn't regret it later. He would, however, need to get back to the Library before evening, so hopefully Ciel felt a bit more independent before then.

Grell put his hands on Ciel's shoulders and gently pushed him back enough so that he could see his face, then placed two fingers under his chin to tilt his head up. When their gazes locked, Grell smiled again. "Will you tell me why you don't want me to leave?" He sort of understood already, but he wanted to hear it from Ciel.

"I..." Ciel cast his eyes down again, shifting slightly on Grell's lap. "I just don't want to be alone anymore. It hurts and I hate it," he admitted. He wrapped his arms around himself and stared off into vast planes of nothingness before his unfocused gaze. "I don't have anyone left, now. My family..." He let his voice trail off and shook his head sadly before sighing and continuing. "I think I'll be okay, but I need someone. Just so I'm not alone anymore."

His next move was somewhat unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome. Grell's eyes widened slightly in pleasant surprise as he suddenly felt Ciel's arms around his neck as the younger trapped him in a tight hug. "Thank you," Ciel whispered, "for being with me."

Grell returned the hug and smiled brightly while Ciel couldn't see. He wouldn't show him his teeth just yet. "No problem," he easily dismissed. "I like being with you."

Ciel pulled back without letting go to look at Grell with a genuine smile on his face. The redhead mirrored the look and pet the youth's head affectionately. Both their gazes flicked over to the door as the sound of approaching footsteps met their ears. Ciel tensed for a moment, before relaxing again as he realized there were two other people in the shop. _Good_ people.

The door opened and in walked an exasperated-looking Ronald and the ever-grinning Undertaker. Grell raised an eyebrow at his blonde friend's disheveled state, and Ronald did the same.

"Oh, are we interrupting?" Ronald teased. Grell stuck his tongue out at him, earning a quiet chuckle in return.

"Well, what about you?" Grell pouted. "What were you two doing out there?" Then as an afterthought, he purred, "Or don't I wanna know?"

Ronald looked horrified as he quickly glanced at Undertaker, who only smirked back at him. "Ugh, no! Nonono, it wasn't like that _at all_, I swear!" he exclaimed defensively, waving his hands in front of him. "We just talked, that's all."

Grell giggled at the sight of his best friend so flustered, saving it to memory for future laughs. "Whatever. So, what'd you talk about?" he asked airily. Ciel shifted on his lap and he could tell he was beginning to feel uncomfortable, so he gently hooked his arm behind the boy's knees and carefully swung his legs off of his own until he was sitting on the bed beside him. Ciel flashed him a smile in thanks as he situated himself to a comfortable sitting position, Grell responding with a small nod of his head before looking back to the other two.

Ronald glanced to Undertaker again, expecting him to answer as it was he who needed to speak with Grell. He gladly let the mortician take over, shoving his hands into his pockets and slouching back against the wall.

"You, mostly," Undertaker said, holding out his hand to Grell. "May I have a word with you? It is rather...urgent, I'm afraid."

Grell eyed the proffered hand, before flicking his eyes up to Undertaker's face. "We're just going to talk, right?" he questioned suspiciously.

Undertaker snickered, but then smiled in what he hoped to be sincere reassurance. "Right."

Grell stared at him a moment longer before hesitantly taking his hand, warning him, "Better not try anything."

Undertaker chuckled again. "Wouldn't dream of it."

As Grell stood, his other arm was suddenly grabbed, causing him to turn his head in surprise. Ciel was looking at him with large, pleading eyes, looking slightly frightened. Grell smiled softly and released Undertaker's hand to place his own against the side of Ciel's face, stroking with his thumb over his pale cheek. "Don't worry, I'm only stepping outside of the room. I'll be right back, okay? Ronald will keep you company until come back, right Ronnie?" Grell glanced over his shoulder at his friend, who smiled brightly back at them.

"You bet," he confirmed cheerily.

Grell looked back at Ciel, who was looking less nervous now. "See? No problem." He gently removed Ciel's fingers from their vice-like grip on his arm and stroked his hair soothingly. "I'll be right back. Promise." He winked and waited for Ciel's response before trying to leave.

"...okay," Ciel whispered after a moment, sounding unsure. Grell smiled and pat his arm lightly before turning back around and taking Undertaker's arm as they walked out of the room together. As Undertaker shut the door, Grell could hear Ronald's cheerful voice begin, "'Sup, buddy?"

Undertaker faced Grell again and motioned towards the many coffins littering the dusty floor. "Please, have a seat."

Grell rolled his eyes, but complied. He paced over to the nearest closed casket and gracefully sat down, crossing his legs in a feminine manner. "So," he casually began, flicking his vibrant hair over his shoulder. "What's this about?"

Undertaker sat across from Grell on another coffin, crossing his ankles and folding his hands in his lap. "Ciel." Simple and direct.

Grell stiffened slightly, worry creasing his brow. "...What about Ciel?" he tentatively asked.

"Well, you see...I know the truth. Now, I am not angry with you," Undertaker said, noticing the flash of alarm in Grell's green eyes, "but there are some things you need to know."

_Dammit, Ronnie! _Grell inwardly cursed. So that's what they were talking about... He couldn't help the tiny feelings of betrayal rising in himself at the knowledge that his best friend revealed their secret, but he did his best to ignore them. Maybe Ronnie was forced to? This _was_ the Undertaker they were dealing with, after all. "Alright," Grell sighed. "I'm listening."

"First, I need to know something. Have you written the report yet?" Undertaker inquired.

"Well, yeah," Grell shrugged. "Will always wants them soon after we're done reaping. Why?"

"You've handed it in, then?" At Grell's nod, Undertaker sighed. "That's what I feared," he mumbled quietly.

Grell frowned, growing more concerned by Undertaker's reactions. He knew what he did was against the rules, but surely it wouldn't hurt anything...would it?

"Now, I'm sure you'll know nothing of what I'm about to tell you, otherwise you probably wouldn't have done it. Let me just say beforehand that none of this is your fault." Undertaker's smile had faded quite some time ago and his voice was grave and deep, proof to just how serious he was.

Grell swallowed, feeling very anxious and more than a little fearful of what Undertaker was about to say. "W-what are you getting at?" he asked nervously.

"Reflection letters and reports serve the purpose of finalizing an individual's demise. When the higher-ups at headquarters receive the documents, the death is confirmed and any remaining remnants of the soul is detached from the body, completing the process. Files are used for a similar purpose, but cannot be used on their own to confirm a death," Undertaker explained. "The problem with Ciel is that his paperwork has already been filled out, but the child has yet to die."

Grell slowly blinked as his mind mulled over the new information. Undertaker could see that Grell couldn't make much sense of what he'd said, and so he continued. "Your superiors won't be able to tell whether or not Ciel is alive, they'll only go by what they're presented with. In this case, they'll assume he's no longer living and the procedure will be carried out based on that assumption."

Grell's eyes went wide and his heart pounded as he began to realize what Undertaker was saying. "Y-you mean...?"

Undertaker nodded grimly. "Once the Main Branch receives the documents and their work is finished, Ciel's soul will slowly separate from his body, ending his life just like any other mortal."

Grell stared at Undertaker in shock, his mind reeling. "He'll..._die_?" His voice came out in a heartbroken whisper. "N-no, he-he can't!" Grell cried desperately, shaking his head and refusing to believe it. "Pl-please no, th-that's...he _can't_!"

Undertaker felt his own heart sink at the sight of Grell so hurt. Suddenly, an idea hit him. "Grell, look at me," he said firmly, waiting until the redhead's tear-filled eyes locked onto his. "When did you hand in your report?" There might still be time...

Grell thought for a moment, trying to focus on the question. "Th-this morning," he finally stuttered out, sniffling a little. Losing Ciel...he just _couldn't!_

"When does William usually send paperwork out?" Undertaker knew William kept a schedule for these things, therefore Grell should know.

"Uhm, Fridays and Mondays, I think," he said quietly, rubbing his nose on his sleeve. "W-why?"

Undertaker's smile spread across his face once again, truly relieved. "Well, simple solution, then. You'll just need to sneak in and get Ciel's file and report back before they're sent. Once you've done that, bring them to me and I'll take care of it. After that, cut Ciel with your scythe, view his Cinematic Record, and judge his life. You chose to let him live, and then we all live happily." Undertaker folded his arms across his chest, quite pleased with himself.

Grell briefly considered the plan. "And...you're sure that'll work?" he asked hopefully, his mood improving greatly. Undertaker's sure nod had Grell sighing in complete and utter relief, his tense muscles quickly relaxing. _Ciel's gonna be okay! _Then a question came to mind. "How the hell am I going to get into Will's office?"

Undertaker snickered and shrugged one shoulder. "You'll have to work that one out on your own, I'm afraid. Good luck, though."

Grell grimaced, but couldn't deny the fact that he was infinitely grateful for having a chance to save Ciel. _For a second time,_ he noted. "What if...what if I can't do it?" he pondered aloud.

"Nonsense," Undertaker dismissed with a wave of his sleeve. "I'm sure you can. It's only a little matter of stealth and sneak. Nothing you can't handle, right?" Undertaker winked, though he quickly realized that Grell couldn't see it. He inwardly sighed at that.

Grell still wasn't sure, but he didn't have to worry about it right then, as he had two days to get the papers back. Although, he _would_ like to get it done as soon as possible. He and Ronald should probably get back soon, only after, of course, Grell spent a little more time with Ciel. Grell sighed and gracefully stood, not bothering to fix his coat which had somehow ended up slipping off his shoulders and down to his elbows.

"Thank you," he suddenly said, turning to face Undertaker. "For helping us." A kind smile from Grell told the mortician just how grateful he was. There was one thing that troubled him, though; Ciel would have to be hurt. He'd have to ask Ronald to do it for him, because Grell was sure he couldn't do it himself. Besides, the blonde owed him for tattling.

Undertaker smirked and stood, taking a step towards the redhead. "You know," he purred, grinning devilishly. "I require some sort of payment for my services, Grell."

Grell eyed the man suspiciously, taking a slight step back as Undertaker advanced towards him. "What do you want?" he asked warily. His heel met with the wall of the coffin behind him, preventing him from retreating any further. He felt his stomach flutter.

Undertaker chuckled darkly as he noticed the red-haired reaper's feeble attempts at escape. "I'm not going to hurt you, Grell," he laughed softly, taking another step closer. They were less than a foot apart now. "There's only one thing I want from you."

Grell scowled, his patience wearing thin. "And that is?" He knew he wasn't in any danger, so he had no reason to feel afraid. Even if Undertaker did try something, he could sure as hell defend himself. He knew from experience that his teeth were perfectly capable of ripping through flesh and bone, and Undertaker would find out, too if he dared to make the wrong decision.

What happened next completely caught Grell off-guard, as it was something he hadn't even considered to expect. Undertaker swiftly reached forward and wrapped his arm around Grell's slim waist to pull the redhead close, pressing their bodies together. A surprised gasp could be heard from Grell, but Undertaker didn't allow him the choice to struggle or protest. He reached up and lightly gripped Grell's chin to tilt his face towards his. With a slight smirk, Undertaker closed the distance between them and softly pressed their lips together, capturing the younger's in a gentle kiss.

Grell's eyes grew wide when he felt the other's lips on his, heat rapidly rising to his cheeks. This...was definitely _not_ what he had been anticipating. His stomach fluttered again, more intense than the time before and for a different reason. He felt Undertaker's arm tighten around his waist and his lips press more forcefully against his own, making Grell gasp again. _What the hell am I doing?_ his mind screamed. _Why am I letting him kiss me? _He knew the sensible thing to do right about then would be to shove Undertaker away and give him an earnest, well-deserved slap across the face. As much as Grell tried to believe that that was what he wanted, he found himself hesitating.

Undertaker smirked against Grell's lips, feeling triumphant. It was surprising that the fiery redhead hadn't pushed him away yet, but he wouldn't complain. When Grell gasped, it granted him the perfect opportunity to deepen the too-mild kiss. Deciding to test his luck, Undertaker's tongue swiped across Grell's soft, parted lips before bravely slipping inside his warm mouth. He had to make a conscious effort to not slice his tongue on any of the reaper's sharp teeth.  
Any thoughts Grell might have had floating about in his head were immediately annihilated and ceased to exist when Undertaker slid his tongue into his mouth. The only thing currently housed inside his skull was the stunned, confused pile of incoherence that was his brain. The only thing his mind could focus on now was the enthralling movement of Undertaker's lips and tongue, successfully holding him spellbound. Unconciously, his arms lifted to wrap around Undertaker's neck, his eyes falling closed as he responded to the enchanting kiss.

Undertaker was beyond delighted when Grell's tongue came forth to caress his own and sensually slide along it. _Well, then._ As their tongues danced, Undertaker's free hand raised to thread his fingers through Grell's soft, scarlet locks, gently combing through the silky tresses. Unbeknownst to the redhead, Undertaker'd had his eye on him from the moment they first met. He loved the fiery nature of his personality and the dangerous aura that clung to him so fiercely. Passionate little thing, and Undertaker _wanted_ him.

After a few long, wonderful moments of heated battle, Undertaker reluntantly broke the kiss, but didn't pull away. Instead, he gazed down at Grell's flushed face dearly, caressing his warm cheek with the palm of his hand. He gave a breathless chuckle at the dazed look in Grell's green eyes and ran his fingers along the other's jawbone, causing him to shudder slightly.

"That," he whispered huskily. "Was the best payment...I'd ever recieved."

xXx

tbc.

**A/N: **_Teehee! _X3_ My very first yaoi scene! Woo! I'm a huge fan of the GrellxUndertaker pairing and just couldn't resist throwing that in there. If it bothered anyone, I'm sorry, but I couldn't help it. _:P__

Please tell me what you thought, and don't be afraid to tell me what needs improving. I'm very new to writing and need all the help I can get! XD _  
_P.S. _I want to thank you all for the reviews, story alerts, favorites, and just for reading. It makes me so freakin' happy! _:D__

Please review, and I'll see you next time~! (:


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